Feature photo: Boswellia serrata (Indian myrrh or bdellium) seen in the forests of Southern India. Photo: Sudhir Ahluwalia Myrrh’s sacred trees are mentioned in the Bible. Its resin was used as incense and medicine to embalm the dead. Myrrh is the aromatic gum...
Rue in history is a plant mentioned in the Bible. Luke 11:42 enunciates the importance of this herb in the Palestinian region, as Jesus refers to a tithe on rue. The Talmud describes rue as a kitchen herb that grows in the wild. Cultivation of this herb began later...
Wormwood’s history is linked to its references in the Bible. Its botanical name is Artemisia absinthium. This herbaceous perennial plant can grow to two to four feet. It has silvery-white leaves and stems and a bitter taste. It is widely distributed in the...
Feature photo: Pomegranate fruit Photo: Sudhir Ahluwalia Punica granatum, or pomegranate, is a small tree. The plant finds mentioned in the Bible indicate the importance given to this plant since ancient times. The fruit contains acids, sugars, vitamins,...
Olive oil has a wide range of medicinal properties. It is said that massaging the body with the oil helps heal hemorrhoids, ulcers, anal fissures, intestinal inflammations, and gastrointestinal tract ailments. It allegedly cures 70 diseases, including leprosy,...
Agarwood can be extracted from eight species belonging to the Aquilaria genus. The four principal species are Aquilaria sinensis, Aquilaria malaccensis, Aquilaria agallocha, and Aquilaria crassna. There are references to agarwood incense in the Bible. Trees older than...
